Vol. 358 No. 1
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the names of the members of each non-statutory body or committee under aegis of his Department established since 1 January 1980; the date of the first appointment of each such body or committee; the terms of reference or objectives in each case; and the date on which each body or committee reported or the date on which a report of each such body or committee is expected.
661.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the names of the members on the board of each statutory body, if any, under the aegis of his Department.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 660 and 661 together.
The Social Welfare Tribunal established under the Social Welfare (No. 2) Act, 1982, in 1982 is the only statutory body under the aegis of my Department. The members of the tribunal are as follows:
Mr. William Farrell, Chairman.
Ordinary Members
Mr. Ralph de Zaayer, Mr. John Doherty, Employers' Representatives.
Mr. Tom McGrath, Mr. Patrick Murphy, Workers' Representatives.
The non-statutory bodies or committees under the aegis of the Department of Social Welfare are (a) The Commission on Social Welfare and (b) the Interim Board of the Combat Poverty Organisation.
The Commission on Social Welfare
The Commission on Social Welfare was established on 18 August 1983 and held its inaugural meeting on 14 September 1983. Its terms of reference are:
1. To review and report on the social welfare system and related social services and to make recommendations for their development having regard to the needs of modern Irish society,
2. to analyse the net redistribution of resources between people in different income groups affected by government action in such fields as taxation, social welfare, education, health, housing etc., and to recommend such modifications as may be necessary in Government policies and programmes to ensure that the net effects of such transfers taken together secure the objective of social equity and do not operate to facilitate misuse of the system or create a disincentive to employment or investment.
3. to review and report on the system of pay-related social insurance and health contributions and their effects on the provision of social security and employment.
4. to liaise with the Commission on Taxation with a view to ensuring the compatibility of recommendations from both commissions,
5. to report in detail on the cost of savings related to each of its recommendations and advise on their relative priorities.
6. to advise the Minister for Social Welfare on the implementation of an anti-poverty plan, the establishment of an organisation to combat poverty and the introduction of a new and comprehensive EC poverty programme,
7. to examine and report on the relative responsibilities of the Development of Social Welfare and Labour and of their respective offices with respect to the unemployed, income maintenance, training and placement,
8. to consider and report to the Minister for Social Welfare on any specific matter that he may wish to have examined from time to time,
9. to issue its review and recommendations in a report to the Minister for Social Welfare not later than two years from the date of establishment which may be published with the authority of the Government and during the currency of its work to make regular interim reports to the Minister on all aspects of its work programme. These may also be published with the authority of the Government.
The commission's report is expected to be furnished towards the end of this year. The members of the commission are as follows:
Mr. John Curry, Director of the National Social Services Board, Chairman.
Dr. Eugene McCarthy, Director, Federated Union of Employers.
Mr. Peter Cassels, Secretary, Protective Legislation Committee, ICTU.
Mr. Hugh McNeill, Personnel Director, Irish Cement Ltd.
Dr. David Rottman, Senior Research Officer, The Economic and Social Research Institute.
Mr. Tony Brown, Economist, Irish Sugar Company.
Ms. Eithne Fitzgerald, Economist.
Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, Research Fellow on Poverty, U.C.D.
Miss Ann Lavan, Lecturer in Social Policy and Social Work, U.C.D.
Mr. R. Doyle, Superintendent Community Welfare Officer, Waterford.
Mr. Bob Cashman, former President, Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Mr. Frank Masterson, Former Chairman, I.F.A. Taxation Committee.
Interim Board of the Combat Poverty Organisation
An Interim Board of the Combat Poverty Organisation was established in March 1984. Its terms of reference were:
1. To submit to the Minister by the end of June 1984 its recommendations with regard to the structure, membership, staffing etc. of a permanent anti-poverty agency and the detailed terms of reference of such an agency, bearing in mind, inter alia, the role of the agency with regard to the drawing up of an anti-poverty plan within the context of national economic and social planning.
2. To advise the Minister on the Irish input into the forthcoming EC poverty programme.
3. To submit recommendations to the Minister when requested on any applications for funding on behalf of projects concerned with poverty which the board considers deserving of financial assistance.
The interim board submitted its report on 30 July 1984.
Legislation to establish a new combat poverty agency based on the board's recommendations has been introduced in the Seanad. The new agency will be set up as soon as possible after the legislation is passed. Pending the setting up of the new agency the interim board is engaged in advising the Minister as to the projects which will make up the Irish input into the EC poverty programme.
The members of the interim board were:
Mrs. Noreen Kearney (Chairperson), Lecturer in Social Work, Trinity College, Dublin.
Mr. Tony Brown, Economist, Irish Sugar Company and Member of the Commission on Social Welfare.
Mr. Peter Cassels, Economist and Social Affairs Officer, Irish Congress of Trade Unions and Member of the Commission on Social Welfare.
Mr. John Hynes, Assistant Secretary, Department of Social Welfare.
Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Social Science, University College Dublin and Member of the Commission on Social Welfare.
Mr. Frank Masterson, Former Chairman of IFA Taxation and Credit Committee and member of the Commission on Social Welfare.
